[25 th April,2024]
Vodafone Fiji, in partnership with mHITs Limited and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), is
proud to announce the launch of direct mobile to mobile international money transfer from Cook
Islands to Fiji. The service has been enabled by integrating the E-Moni Mobile Wallet in Cook Islands
and M-PAiSA in Fiji. The service makes it very easy for over 3000 Fijians who are working in the
Cook Islands mostly in the Tourism sector, to be able to send money to their loved ones back home
in Fiji.
Head of Vodafone eCommerce and Digital Financial Services Mr. Shailendra Prasad said “Vodafone
Cook Islands which is part of the ATH Group is the eMoni platform provider in Cooks. Hence, it has
been possible for the two entities to be able to collaborate to make this service available for both
our customers”.
Last year, Vodafone enabled cross-border remittance between Vanuatu and Fiji and vice-versa by
integrating M-VATU and M-PAiSA mobile money platforms. With the addition of Cooks to Fiji IMT
service, another market where Vodafone is a mobile network and mobile money operator has been
connected as part of interconnecting the regional markets for cross border remittances.
This initiative is an expansion of the winning proposal submitted for the Pacific Islands Fintech
Innovation Challenge hosted by UNCDF in Singapore in 2022. The objective of this service is to
enable cross border remittances between the pacific islands through digital and mobile money
platforms.
“Vodafone Fiji is pleased to add Cook Islands to the growing list of countries from where remittances
can be received directly into M-PAISA’ said Mr. Prasad. M-PAiSA currently brings into Fiji around
$48m every month in personal remittances. The addition of the Cook Islands will further boost IMT
inwards.
‘Vodafone Cook Islands are thrilled to announce the launch of international mobile money transfer
from the Cook Islands to Fiji via our E-Moni wallet directly into M-PAiSA wallet. This innovative
solution enables our customers to conveniently send money to their loved ones in Fiji. We are proud
to introduce this service, further solidifying our dedication to providing solutions that meet the
evolving needs of our community.’ says CEO Phillip Henderson.
Vodafone Fiji operates its award-winning M-PAiSA platform as M-Vatu in Vanuatu, M-Tala in Samoa,
E--Moni in the Cook Islands and M-PAiSA in Kiribati. It hopes to interconnect all these markets for
inwards and outward money transfer service over time to make it more convenient and less costly to
send money across the Pacific.
mHITs, a multi-award winning Australian fintech, won a US$50,000 grant from UNCDF at the Fintech
Challenge to develop the region’s first cross-border payments solution with Vodafone.
The company will manage the foreign currency conversion part of the money transfer process, while
Vodafone will operate the software at the sender and receiver’s end. In time, it is expected that M-
PAiSA users in Fiji will also be able to send money to the Cooks.
“We are privileged to be able to continue participating in this wonderful initiative” says mHITs
founder and CEO Mr. Harold Dimpel. “Together with our partners Vodafone and the UNCDF, we are
able to make a very positive impact on the region by allowing money to move more easily.”
The grant and technical assistance provided by UNCDF helped to catalyze the development
deployment of the service. The programme is jointly implemented by UNCDF, the UN Development
Programme (UNDP) and UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), with support from
the European Union and Government of Australia.
-Ends-